IF...

[Luke]

You were JR what would you do for next season to try and bring the best out of the current avallible squad. Lets say you have about 275k to play with and a season long loan, Plus the clubs youth academy of course...
What would you do ??


Heres my plan for next season...


The 1st area to look at is certainly the defence, Its creaking in the wind atm with is 8 clean sheets all last season something needs to be done. This is the area i would suggest Using the transfer budget
My backline would be...

Casement RB
DeVos CB
Shittu CB
Sito LB

This would leave us a bit thin on the ground in cover, But with Naylors *cougth* "Experince" on the bench, And youngsters such as Krause, Synott and Barron waiting in the wings i feel that aslong as key players are kept fit its a winning back line, It would provide the MUCH NEEDED hoofage in DeVos and Shittu
Aswell as the more cultured passers of the ball in Casement and Sito...
I would possibly bring back McEverly too on another seasons loan, as i feel when he is 100% fit and confident he is a very good Championship defender

The Midfeild IMO does NOT require any investment even with Juan leaving...
The additon of Williams last season was a shrewed one and i think he will proove a very usefull player next season.
Richards emegnce as a good SQUAD midfeilder will help with experince on the bench, And hopefully Ian Westlake can start where he left off before his nightmare with Injuries
This of course is without mentioning young midfeilders Upson, Trotter, And of course Garvan who despite his mature displays is still only a young player!
My midfeild would consist of...

Gavin Williams RM
Owen Garvan CM
??? CM
Ian Westlake LM

The remaining centre midfeild role idealy SHOULD be Kenny Lunt, But i cant see Joe getting off his arse and nicking him on a free, Whoever is brought in it needs to be someone with experince.
The energy in this midfeild would allow more room all over the pitch for each individual player hopefully providing us with more goalscoring oppurtinitys, With players on the bench such as Skard (Who i feel will come good midway next season IF he is going to come good at all) The young flair of Upson and Trotter, And the PROOVEN chance creater Darren Currie It will surely be a midfeild not to be reckond with at Championship level!

Upfront next season i see a very strong healthey compation going on between the strikers...
Parkin
Forster
Haynes
Lee
Clarke
Knights
and possibly Leabon
Will all be looking to get in on the action, Forster if kept clear of injurys has shown what a top marksman he is at this Level
Lee is always a danger with his constant running and never say die attitude!
Parkin will IMO come good next season I expect at the least 14 goals from Sammy next season, I feel he and Lee are going to strike up a good partnership
The undoubted potential of Billy Clarke that we saw a slight 25min glimpse of at Cardiff last season where he came off the bench to win the free kick that Jimmy Juan converted will come back next season from Colchester hungry to proove himself at this level! And to break into the 1st team squad on a regular basis. This boy COULD be our new shineing star next season he has all the skills and a good attitude t'boot
Knights has prooved himself now in the reserves and will look to step up a gear this season!
Leabon will be looking to do a Danny Haynes having only just established himself in the reserves he will be looking to get the odd outing in the 1st team squad.
Tbh im not sure how Haynes will fair next season but if he keeps up the hard work shown so far he will at least be a usefull squad player
Bowditch im afriad will have to look elsewhere, There is no room in this squad for him...

So my 1st choice line up for next season would be


..........................................1.Supple....................................................
...........................................................................................................
...16.Casement.....5.Shittu...................4.DeVos..............15.Castro Sito.
..........................................................................................................
...11.Williams.........7.Lunt................23.Garvan............33.Westlake.....
...................................................................................................
..............................10.Lee..........9.Parkin...............................

Injuries of course could ruin our thread bare squad as it could so many championship teams. But surely the talent we ALREADY have at our disposal is a reason to be positive and optamistic about next season!
COME ON BLUE ARMY SHOW SOME FAITH!!

[Luke]

There we go, Im afraid this is part of the problem...
12 views this has had, Not one person has put there own postive feelings down.
Sometimes i honestly think that our fans are more happy being misrable and having something to complain about then being positive and getting behind the team!

[Rach]

Intresting post Luke....I definately agree with some stuff you've written and Id love to see Shittu (a CB that CFs hate playing against) and Lunt (quality at this level) signed up....not sure about Sito at LB tho but I dont really rate him as a defender to be honest (like Richards I think he'd make a better midfielder, but we dont really have room for him what with Williams, Peters and Currie who can all play RM)

[crazee]

if it makes you feel better Luke my sites messageboard gets 1000's of views but only 4 people use the dam thing!

Right i think i would ship out Price and get a decent fee for him but i'll settle for 500k (purly for the purposes of this) so ive got £750,000 to spend and it would be spent on the defence and perhaps a defence midfielder and of course an old 'keeper to sit on the bench behind Supple

im with you on McEveley, yes he is good but i wouldn't bother with him i cant see that we need another left back (unless we get an injury).

dont think we need any one else to be honest, its just a case that this year we have had too many injuries so our better players have been missing and with out your best players you are in trouble.

[Anglo-Saxon]

IMHO it will be a case of using what we now have, as for bringing in a player or two (should we get some money from some where) the player I'd like to see will be staying where he is (Fuller).

I'm still not a fan of Parkin, I not seen him play much but then again nor has any one else LOL.

I think it would be (with our financial problems) wise to wait untill the January transfer window to see wether or not it would be worth the gamble and spend what money we have then.

[Riviera]

There we go, Im afraid this is part of the problem...
12 views this has had, Not one person has put there own postive feelings down.
Sometimes i honestly think that our fans are more happy being misrable and having something to complain about then being positive and getting behind the team!

people are probably not going to reply because u'll come back with curries stats again


if there is 275k to play with im almost certain that BFJ will not go with a "potentially" good lower league defender, but instead go for another journey man who is looking for a final pay day, 275k should cover the wages of one such player on a 2 year contract

for me the only position that needs sorting is the defence, we have plenty of players in midfield and up front, all capable of doing a very good job providing the tactics are right...but unfortunately with BFJ in charge they never will be

[Dubai Blue]

Don't worry Luke. I think some of us are a bit overdosed with football and disappointment.

A couple of month's cricket and I think I'll be ready to make some suggestions.

Didn't like the look of Warnock's reported 2.5 million offer for Shittu very much though. I would like to see him come too.

[Luke]

There we go, Im afraid this is part of the problem...
12 views this has had, Not one person has put there own postive feelings down.
Sometimes i honestly think that our fans are more happy being misrable and having something to complain about then being positive and getting behind the team!

people are probably not going to reply because u'll come back with curries stats again


if there is 275k to play with im almost certain that BFJ will not go with a "potentially" good lower league defender, but instead go for another journey man who is looking for a final pay day, 275k should cover the wages of one such player on a 2 year contract

for me the only position that needs sorting is the defence, we have plenty of players in midfield and up front, all capable of doing a very good job providing the tactics are right...but unfortunately with BFJ in charge they never will be

I dont know if you noticed Riv, But i think next season Currie should be used coming OFF the bench, I didnt put him in the starting line up...

[Bluebird]

There we go, Im afraid this is part of the problem...
12 views this has had, Not one person has put there own postive feelings down.
Sometimes i honestly think that our fans are more happy being misrable and having something to complain about then being positive and getting behind the team!

people are probably not going to reply because u'll come back with curries stats again


if there is 275k to play with im almost certain that BFJ will not go with a "potentially" good lower league defender, but instead go for another journey man who is looking for a final pay day, 275k should cover the wages of one such player on a 2 year contract

for me the only position that needs sorting is the defence, we have plenty of players in midfield and up front, all capable of doing a very good job providing the tactics are right...but unfortunately with BFJ in charge they never will be

I dont know if you noticed Riv, But i think next season Currie should be used coming OFF the bench, I didnt put him in the starting line up...

I did and i've still not got over the shock mate, you'll see the light yet!

On a serious note, you made some great observations there, but for me i'm more concerned about the coaching staff than the playing personel. I think we need new blood. Joe and his staff have been unable to coach their sides to defend professionally, or compete midfield, or show fight and passion for most of the last three seasons. Now IMHO regardless of who you pick without these qualities we will never achieve sod all

[Luke]

people are probably not going to reply because u'll come back with curries stats again


if there is 275k to play with im almost certain that BFJ will not go with a "potentially" good lower league defender, but instead go for another journey man who is looking for a final pay day, 275k should cover the wages of one such player on a 2 year contract

for me the only position that needs sorting is the defence, we have plenty of players in midfield and up front, all capable of doing a very good job providing the tactics are right...but unfortunately with BFJ in charge they never will be

I dont know if you noticed Riv, But i think next season Currie should be used coming OFF the bench, I didnt put him in the starting line up...

I did and i've still not got over the shock mate, you'll see the light yet!

On a serious note, you made some great observations there, but for me i'm more concerned about the coaching staff than the playing personel. I think we need new blood. Joe and his staff have been unable to coach their sides to defend professionally, or compete midfield, or show fight and passion for most of the last three seasons. Now IMHO regardless of who you pick without these qualities we will never achieve sod all

Im worried that you could well be right there mate... Im just trying to stay optamastic.
Anyone who says we will get relagated next season is a pessamistic fool
And anyone who says midtable next season needs to lighten up!

[ippers]

I think Shittus out of our price range as QPR want £3million

[Luke]

I think Shittus out of our price range as QPR want £3million

Aye i saw Reading had a bid of 2million in! I thought they were trying to get rid of him on the cheap for fianacial reasons or something i was expecting a cut price 250k/400k
Looks like he is well out of our price range now! So John Baptiste at Mansfield should be our next port of call

[Riviera]

I think Shittus out of our price range as QPR want £3million

Aye i saw Reading had a bid of 2million in! I thought they were trying to get rid of him on the cheap for fianacial reasons or something i was expecting a cut price 250k/400k
Looks like he is well out of our price range now! So John Baptiste at Mansfield should be our next port of call

Or Matt Villis - Torquay United, Ex Argyle and still young, made a real impression this season, although before i got shot down in flames hes had a bad season with injuries and is not the reason TUFC have shipped sh*t loads of goals this season

[ippers]

Might be an ex-Scummer but Kenton is about the right age and is available on a free, if he gets back to his best would be a good signing IMO, although theres always the chance of Marshall syndrome

[Luke]

Might be an ex-Scummer but Kenton is about the right age and is available on a free, if he gets back to his best would be a good signing IMO, although theres always the chance of Marshall syndrome

Kentons more of a full back then a centre half, And with his Norwich connections we all know what will happen there